People

The Surmas: "Donga" /Stick Fighting/

The Surmas who have similar culture with the Mursis are found in the Southwest part of Ethiopia. To reach out the area where these people live in it takes 6 to 8 days trekking starting from Tum. The Surma women wore a lip plate made from wood or clay which some times has a size of 12cm in diameter. This has a great value in increasing a thier beauty. The men are know by their body painting and stick fighting. Most of the time this 'Donga' or stick fighting takes place after the rainy season passes. Specially after harvesting, they usually do the stick fighting. The fight takes places between the unmarried men if a man won the game then he is ready to marry. They cover their head with cloth to protect from any accident during the fight. All the Surma man will get busy whenever there is a fight in painting their body to each other in order to look attractive. Please see the tour program in the next page. The itinerarey can be combined with FS - 134 upon request. Ethiopian airlines fly to Mezan Teferi on Tuesday. There you can easily be met by the prearranged car and drive for half a day to Tum where you start your trek. A mule, porter, police and scout will previously be arranged. Or it can be drive from Addis to Jimma spend a night and continue Tum then start the trek from here.

Omo Camping Safaris

In the southern most part of the Ethiopian Rift Valley system and along the banks of the Omo River in the far south-west of Ethiopia is the heart of one of the most remote area in the African continent. Free from any modern human habitation, this part of the country is still virgin awaiting discovery. This is home to a number of nomadic ethnic groups collectively known as Omotic People: Tsemay, Hammer, Karo, Bena, Geleb, Bume, Mursi, Surma and others. Some are near stone age tribes who take delight in creating elaborate hair style, highly expressive body paintings and intricate scarification. Some wear bark-cloth or beaded leather skirts and some are near naked